A few months ago author Paul S. Kemp asked on Twitter what some really old Star Wars species were. Ever since then the question has plagued me. Why? Cause I'm an obsessed Star Wars fan when it comes to aliens and stats.

One of the first species to come to mine is whatever the heck Yoda is. But that's actually problematic when you look at it because he was a Jedi and Jedi members of any species typically live 2-3 times longer if they aren't killed. Since Yoda was around 900, his species probably only lives to around 300-450.

Wookiees also come to mind. And let's not forget the Old Jedi Masters who popped up in Legacy: Whiphids + Neti.

It's certainly the beginnings of a good list, however, I've done some digging in Wizards of the Coast source books and found the following in The Ultimate Alien Anthology. (10 oldest species in the book)

I found a few more in other books, but I don't have the stats with me right now. I'll post them later. One species I found the stats for that is a good contender is the Gen'Dai (Durge). If you can think of any (especially if you have sources) let me know._________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:23 pm

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Taral-DLOSMaster

Joined: 23 Nov 2010Posts: 1727Location: Ontario, Canada

Gen'Dai are a good candidate because their whole biology is based on regeneration. Aging is, after all, the gradual damage and destruction of your cells, usually by harmful Free Radicals. If one could replace damaged and destroyed cells within minutes or hours of their destruction (as Durge seems to be able to), then he could live as long as he had at least some body mass left. Alternatively, it might be that his regeneration requires the survival of a specific cell type, perhaps located in one organ or several nodes (I'm thinking like how plants have some sort of stem cell at key points, to allow for easy differentiation into root, stem, flower, etc.), and so at least some of those stem cells must survive.

All that to say, as long as a Gen'Dai still had at least some [appropriate] cells, he could regenerate fully, regardless of his age.

Has anyone else here read the Marvel Civil War? I've been reading through it, and there's a story where Wolverine hunts down Nitro (who explodes; it was his explosion that killed a bunch of kids, which made the public want to Register superheroes). Nitro explodes with Wolverine next to him, and all the soft flesh was burned away, leaving only an adamantium-coated skeleton. But Wolverine survived, being able to fully regenerate from the bone marrow under the Adamantium._________________"I'm...from Earth."

It was my understanding that Anzati were supposed to have an immortal lifespan.

I've also read the Muun have human lifespans, but Luceno implied that they had extraordinarily long ones in Millennium Falcon, I believe.

Edit: "To Hutts, Wookiees, Muuns, and a handful of other species, ninety-three years barely put one past adolescence..." It's toward the beginning of chapter 9.

I always thought Luceno put that it for Plagueis, as he intended Plagueis to be the reigning Dark Lord of the Sith for a long time.

DIGRESSION ALERT:

Plus Drongar was discovered by Nikto scouts 220 BBY, and was the only place in the galaxy that one could find bota, which Darth Ramage -- claimed to be a Sith scientist -- used to discover a way to augment one's connection to the Force. I always speculated Ramage was Plagueis' master given his description as a Sith scientist and the timeline basically requiring him to be a Banite Sith.

Re: Whose the oldest Star Wars species?

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:24 pm

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 6956Location: Sailing into the unknown

Darth Skuldren wrote:

One of the first species to come to mine is whatever the heck Yoda is. But that's actually problematic when you look at it because he was a Jedi and Jedi members of any species typically live 2-3 times longer if they aren't killed.

I have never heard that. _________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:18 pm

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Jedi JoeMaster

Joined: 11 Jun 2009Posts: 1562

You must also take into effect the advances in medical technology in that society. It wouldn't surprise me if non-jedi humans lived for 200+ years.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:06 pm

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Crash OverrideMaster

Joined: 22 Dec 2010Posts: 1962

Jedi Joe wrote:

You must also take into effect the advances in medical technology in that society. It wouldn't surprise me if non-jedi humans lived for 200+ years.

According to Millennium Falcon, "humans were still in the habit of dying in their early hundreds. Unless they were wealthy enough to afford rejuvenation procedures of the sort available at Aurora. Then 125, even 150 years wasn't uncommon."

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:10 am

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Darth SkuldrenModerator

Joined: 04 Feb 2008Posts: 6563Location: Missouri

Crash Override wrote:

Jedi Joe wrote:

You must also take into effect the advances in medical technology in that society. It wouldn't surprise me if non-jedi humans lived for 200+ years.

According to Millennium Falcon, "humans were still in the habit of dying in their early hundreds. Unless they were wealthy enough to afford rejuvenation procedures of the sort available at Aurora. Then 125, even 150 years wasn't uncommon."

That concurs with what I've read searching around the Wizards of the Coast info. Humans can live up to 120 (or greater) but most don't. It's been a while since I've read MF, so I don't remember all the age stuff it mentioned. Thanks for the quotes.

I was also under the belief that Anzati could live indefinitely. The sourcebooks tag them with age limits, though. I haven't dug further yet to see if there's a reason why. I know with the Gen'Dai, their immortality is limited by the fact that their mental stability degrades and their prone to mental diseases._________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:52 am

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Lord Ree'diusMaster

Joined: 11 Apr 2011Posts: 700Location: The Unknown Regions

I don't know if they count, but I was under the impression that the Oswaft and the species Vuffi Raa belonged to (both from Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka) where both quite long lived (if not ancient).
But I don't recall any exact ages being given in the book._________________"Strong you are with the dark side, young one. But not that strong.
Still much to learn, you have. Surrender, you should."

"You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

There is also the Star Dragons, too._________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

What about the Exogorths? I can't find the information on how long they live, but I was under the impression that they have a long lifespan?_________________I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it (or even read all of it). These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:58 am

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Darth SkuldrenModerator

Joined: 04 Feb 2008Posts: 6563Location: Missouri

Yeah but how smart are they? They're more of a creature than a sentient species.

I was thinking the other day that the Croke might be a good candidate for the oldest. Gepta was over 20,000 years old and Wookieepedia makes it sound like all of their species was Force sensitive._________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 11:26 am

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Lord Ree'diusMaster

Joined: 11 Apr 2011Posts: 700Location: The Unknown Regions

Life Is The Path wrote:

What about the Exogorths? I can't find the information on how long they live, but I was under the impression that they have a long lifespan?

But they aren't a sentient species like all the others in the thread. If you take into account all the creatures in the SW-Universe it will change the list dramatically._________________"Strong you are with the dark side, young one. But not that strong.
Still much to learn, you have. Surrender, you should."

"You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

Ah, but no one included the qualifier of sentience previous to my bringing it up._________________I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it (or even read all of it). These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:49 pm

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Lord Ree'diusMaster

Joined: 11 Apr 2011Posts: 700Location: The Unknown Regions

Darth Skuldren wrote:

Gepta was over 20,000 years old and Wookieepedia makes it sound like all of their species was Force sensitive.

Gepta was over a 20,000 years old ?!? I didn't know that...._________________"Strong you are with the dark side, young one. But not that strong.
Still much to learn, you have. Surrender, you should."

"You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

Huralok can live up to 330 years. (source Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds)
Dunuogwuin (Star Dragons) can live up to 2000 years. (source Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds)
Gen'Dai (Durge) can live up to 4000 years. (source The Clone Wars Campaign Guide)_________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood